Toy acrobats



Dec. 21, 1954 E. SOLOMON TOY ACROBATS Filed Oct. 13, 1953 nlum W MM a United States Patent Office 2,697,302 Patented Dec. 21, 1954 TOY ACROBATS Eric L. Solomon, New York, N. Y. Application October 13, 1953, Serial No. 385,767 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-133) The present invention relates to improvements in toys and more particularly to those involving gyrating figures.

An object of the present invention is to provide an attractive toy of simple and sturdy construction and which provides the maximum of play and fascination value.

The above and other objects may be achieved by the subject invention which, in the preferred form, includes a pair of connected human figures in the form of acrobats, one of the same being suspended by springs from a rotatable bar so that as the bar is rotated, the figures are made to gyrate thereabout, an eccentricity being imparted to their movements by reason of the spring mounting. In addition, the particular method of combining the figures provides attractive acrobatic combinations.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the present invention may be had by referring to the following expanded description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the foregoing statement of the objects of the tion and the brief summary thereof are intended to gen erally explain the same without limiting it in any manner.

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a toy embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1, there being illustrated in dashed outline successive positions of the figures.

The preferred form of the present invention illustrated in the drawings comprises a base 10, upon which there is supported two horizontally spaced standards 11 and 12, said standards having confronting bores 13 and 14- toward their upper margins, there being rotatably mounted in said bores a bar 15 of reduced diameter at its ends which extend into said bores, one of said ends 16 hearing a crank 17. Mounted to bar 15 are two horizontally spaced springs 18 and 19, to each of which is affixed a leg of an acrobatic figure 20, said figure having arms 21 and 22 which are rotatably mounted to the trunk thereof and which arms may extend integrally into the legs of a second acrobatic figure 23, the arms 24 and 25 of said figure 23 being likewise rotatably mounted to the trunk thereof.

While in the preferred form illustrated the arms 21 and 22 of figure 20 have been shown to be integral with the legs of figure 23, such a connection need not be made, but two separate figures could be connected at the arms and legs respectively.

The assembly of the device is self-evident and the operation thereof almost equally self-evident. As crank 17 is rotated, bar 15 turns therewith carrying springs 18 and 19 and hence figure 20 along with it. As may best be seen from Fig. 2, as figure 20 is caused to gyrate about bar 15, its arms assume the various positions shown and consequently, figure 23 is caused to move in a variety subject invenof positions. In turn, the arms of figure 23 similarly assume a different variety of positions. The fact that the toy acrobatic figures are connected arms to legs, independently produces a play and fascination value. The most important contribution to the play and fascination value of the device, however, is provided by springs 18 and 19 which cause figure 20 to move erratically with reference to bar 15 as the same are rotated. The eccentric movement of figure 20 may be varied in different embodiments of the invention by varying the strength of springs 18 and 19.

If it is desired to produce a relatively small departure on the part of figure 20 from corresponding angular rotation with bar 15 then, of course, it would be necessary to use a relatively strong spring. Such a spring is illustrated in Fig. 2. If, on the other hand, it is desired to get a lesser degree of correspondence between the rotational movements of the bar and figure 20, then springs 18 and 19 should be made relatively weaker. Of course, it would constitute no departure from the present invention to employ only one spring instead of the springs 18 and 19, nor would it constitute a departure from the present invention to employ means other than crank 17 to cause bar 15 to be rotated. Thus, a spring or electric motor could be substituted for crank 17. Again, a clicker or other noise device could also be associated with bar 15 so as to be actuated when the bar is rotated.

Although the subject invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example, and that numerous additions and changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement may be resorted to without transcending the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy, comprising a base, a pair of spaced standards mounted to said base, a bar rotatably mounted to and between said standards, a spring connected to said bar and extending radially therefrom, a first toy acrobat connected to said spring by a foot thereof, the arms of said first acrobat being movable, a second toy acrobat extending from the arms of said first toy acrobat and means to rotate said bar, whereby as said bar is caused to revolve, said acrobats are caused to rotate eccentrically thereabout by reason of said spring.

2. A toy, comprising a base, a pair of spaced standards mounted to said base, a bar rotatably mounted to and between said standards, a spring connected to said bar and extending radially therefrom, a first toy acrobat connected to said spring by a foot thereof, the arms of said first acrobat being movable, a second toy acrobat extending by its legs from the arms of said first toy acrobat and means to rotate said bar, whereby as said bar is caused to revolve, said acrobats are caused to rotate eccentrically thereabout by reason of said spring.

3. A toy as described in claim 2, the arms of said second toy acrobat being movably mounted to the trunk thereof and the connection between the legs of said second acrobat and the arms of said first acrobat being rigid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 437,082 Bandy et al Sept. 23, 1890 1,149,883 Zivley Aug. 10, 1915 1,534,367 Fanucci Apr. 21, 1925 2,169,710 Schmidt Aug. 15, 1939 2,242,611 Kunen May 20, 1941 

